I think that most foreigners know the taking-off-shoes rule in Japan. There is a small space when you enter the house/apartment, or temples to take off your shoes and put on slippers before going inside. Even some Japanese restaurants have this system. Slippers are usually small for western men. When you visit a Japanese home or temple, check whether your socks have any holes and take extra socks with you for rainy days or sweaty summers. Restrooms:
Public restrooms in Japan are very clean. Also the toilet features advanced technology to make us comfortable but there are many buttons to press for each function so it can be hard to find which button is for flushing!
Have you heard "Washlet" and "Otohime" system?
Japanese toilet has several functions such as a seat warmer, or a bidet to clean your bottom, or the Otohime, which is the sound of splashing water so people can't hear you.
Bath room:
In a hotel, a bath tub and shower are a single unit but in Japanese houses, bath tub is purely to just warm your body in hot water (usually about 40 degrees C). When you wash your hair and body you have to wash in the space next to the bath tub.
Futon on the balcony:
One Japanese custom is to put futons outside to dry. You may see some people hang their futon over their balcony. Many newer apartment forbid the hanging of futons over the balcony so if you want to dry your futon under the sun please hang it inside the balcony and not higher than the balcony wall.
Some people bang their futon to get rid of mites inside the futon but actually it is not practical. Using a vacuum cleaner is a much better way to do it.
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